Diversity & Inclusion Professionals

11th Annual

Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion Awards

On Friday, November 18th, the DAIP community gathered at Bryant University’s George E. Bello Center to celebrate our 2022 Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion Award winners. The energy of the evening was amazing–the embodiment of community, connection, and celebration as we honored the accomplishments of community leaders Angela Bannerman Ankoma and Amos House.
 
Our deepest gratitude to our esteemed panelists, who created space for us to consider the future of DEIJ, and graciously shared their wisdom and depth of knowledge. Guillaume Bagal, Angela Bannerman Ankoma, Anna Cano Morales, and Dr. Sean Edmund Jones – we appreciate you showing up and sharing with our guests.
 
Thank you to our sponsoring partners, vendors, and attendees for helping us recognize those leading DEIJ efforts in Rhode Island. The financial support of our partners makes it possible for us to continue to offer educational programming like this panel, so that our community has access to learning opportunities and crucial conversations about DEIJ trends and hot topics.

2022 Individual Award Winner

Angela Bannerman Ankoma

Angela Bannerman Ankoma

Vice President, Executive Director at Rhode Island Foundation

For supporting, empowering, and inspiring a sense of belonging within her sphere of influence. For providing opportunities and access to BIPOC communities across Rhode Island. For leading the Rhode Island Foundation’s Equity Leadership Initiative (ELI) to nurture a community of leaders and create an inclusive environment. For her ability to disrupt in the DEI space when injustice is faced in the community, and for 25 years of service in a variety of professional roles challenging inequities, barriers, and biases.

2022 Organizational Award Winner:

Amos House

Eileen Hayes

President/CEO at Amos House

For focusing on individuals who are underserved and marginalized by the community. For committing to DEI after witnessing police brutality and gun violence in Chicago that highlighted parallels across society. For creating jobs and development opportunities for women and formerly incarcerated individuals at a higher rate than other organizations. For considering all employee perspectives, and working to ensure an environment of equity, learning and development, and career opportunity.

Panel discussion

The Clap Back:

The Inevitable Shift of DEIJ Efforts

Panel Discussion:

The Clap Back:
The Inevitable Shift of DEIJ Efforts

Moderated by Guillaume Bagal, the panel included powerhouse leaders from a variety of industries and sectors who explored questions about the future of DEIJ work.

  • The panel explored questions such as:
  • Where do we go next as a community?
  • How can we continue to address systemic issues?
  • How do we remain strategic in our commitment to the additional components of DEI, such as justice, equity, belonging, and reparations?

Panel Moderator

Guillaume Bagal

Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at UNFI

Panelists

Angela Bannerman Ankoma


President, Executive Director at Rhode Island Foundation

Anna Cano Morales


Interim Vice President of External Relations and Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Rhode Island College

Sean Edmund Rogers, Ph.D.


Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer
at University of Rhode Island

Panel discussion submitted for HRCI and SHRM CE credits.

Will You Partner With Us?

Our annual event is a great time to join the businesses and organizations already supporting DAIP as sponsors–including Amica Mutual Insurance, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Providence College, The Rhode Island Foundation, and Swarovski Optik–in supporting our mission-driven work to drive change across Rhode Island.

DAIP is currently in the process of broadening our offerings and impact, sponsoring our work allows your organization to help shape the future of the DAIP. We’d love to hear our ideas about the programs and professional development opportunities you’d like for us to offer.

2022 Sponsors

Trailblazer Level:

LEADER LEVEL:

STRATEGIST LEVEL:

ADVOCATE LEVEL:

COMMUNITY PARTNERS:

Guillaume Bagal

Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at UNFI

Guillaume Bagal (he, him, his) serves as vice president of diversity, equity & inclusion at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), a Fortune 100 company and largest distributor of wholesale bulk food & products in North America.

Guillaume’s career path includes global health, consulting for pharmaceutical companies, leading policy efforts in a healthcare delivery setting, and heading diversity, equity, & inclusion in a health insurance company.

Deeply committed to community service, Guillaume serves on a number of boards including Amos House and Rhode Island Public Health Institute, where he chairs the community advisory and advocacy group for Open Door Health (RI’s first LGBTQ health center). He previously served on the Rhode Island Governor’s Equity Council, the National Institutes of Health Community Advisory Board, and was elected president of GLAA (Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance), the nation’s oldest continuously active gay and lesbian civil rights organization.

Angela Bannerman Ankoma

Vice President, Executive Director
at Rhode Island Foundation

Angela Bannerman Ankoma (she, her, hers) is the Vice President, Executive Director of Equity Leadership at the Rhode Island Foundation, where she oversees the professional development of leaders of color in R.I., and works to eliminate inequality and racial disparities and promote inclusion and diversity.

With nearly 25 years of public policy and health policy experience, Angela previously served as Executive Vice President, Director of Community Investment, at the United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI), where she led the organization’s grant-making, public policy, government relations, research and evaluation activities. Prior to that, she worked at RI Department of Health (RIDOH) as the founding co-director of the Health Equity Institute.

Angela is actively engaged in local community investment efforts. She has served on the board of West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation, and is a co-founder of their nationally-recognized Sankofa Initiative, a multimillion-dollar project that combines housing with a world market and farm to improve health outcomes among Providence’s growing immigrant community. Angela has also served on the Advisory Board of the Latino Policy Institute, Amos House, Community College of Rhode Island Foundation, and Leadership Rhode Island.

Anna Cano Morales

Interim Vice President of External Relations and Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Rhode Island College

Anna Cano Morales (she, her, hers) is Vice President for External Relations and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Rhode Island College, where she leads the campus community in engaged work towards a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable institution. In this role, she oversees the Institutional Equity Office which includes Title IX, Affirmative Action, and RIC Disability Services Center, and leads the RIC Alumni Affairs office and College Events and Engagement office.

Anna has over 25 years of experience working in nonprofit, educational and government settings where she leads initiatives, programs and policy development that promote a collective culture of equity and well-being for Rhode Islanders and their communities. She previously served as Executive Director of the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University, and as Associate Vice President for Grants and Programs for the Rhode Island Foundation.

Anna has served on several state and nonprofit boards, including the University of Rhode Island Foundation, the Rhode Island Latino Political Action Committee, the International Charter School, Community Preparatory School, and the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, among others. She has sat on numerous task forces and councils in service of Mayoral and Governor transition teams, the Rhode Island Foundation special initiatives and corporate philanthropy.

Sean Edmund Rogers, Ph.D.

Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at University of Rhode Island

Dr. Sean Edmund Rogers (he, him, his) serves as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer and the Spachman Professor of Human Resources and Labor Relations at University of Rhode Island. In this role, he serves as a strategic advisor to the university president and cabinet and leads diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and initiatives for URI and its more than 17,000 students and approximately 3,000 faculty, staff, and graduate assistant employees.

Before joining URI, Sean held faculty and leadership appointments at Cornell University, New Mexico State University, and University of New Mexico. Earlier in his career, he held corporate roles in industrial engineering, finance, and marketing at several Fortune 500 firms. Sean is also a US Army Reserve veteran and currently serves as a healthcare administration officer in the US Air Force Reserve.

Sean is an internationally-recognized scholar and has published more than 20 peer-reviewed academic articles and two books on topics such as employment discrimination, workforce diversity, labor unions, and volunteerism.

Kevin Matta

President

Kevin Matta  (he, him, his) is a strategic differentiator, comfortable challenging the status quo, and brings both passion and experience to ensure client success and human engagement with his brilliant ability to make connections.

Kevin’s interest in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work developed as he witnessed his parents encounter inequities and injustices while navigating the American healthcare and workplace landscape. His passion for this work continues to be strengthened by the systemic injustices people around the world continue to experience.

Kevin serves as president of DAIP’s board of directors.